5 Integrity
by TheNewIdea
Summary: Integrity: The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. Rated T for language, faith related themes, alcoholism and death. Updated and fixed


Staggering out of the Drunken Clam, Brian stumbled his way to his car that was parked across the street. It had been a rough day, filled with job interviews for jobs he didn't want, people he could care less about and what happened two hours ago.

Two hours ago Brian heard the worst news that anyone could hear. His illegitimate son Dylan, was killed in a drunk driving accident. The driver walked away with barely a scratch on him, Dylan's car was completely destroyed, so much so that it was barely recognizable. Understandably Brian took the news hard, he wasn't exactly the best when it came to being a father figure but now the chance of him ever finding out was lost forever.

"This…this is why there is no God" Brian said to himself, "The one good thing in my life. Gone, just like that. And I barely even knew him."

Brian continued down the street passing a dark alleyway. Stopping to readjust his collar for a moment the dog drunkenly looked down it, just as he was about to go on his way, he heard the saddest sound in the world. It was crying, but it was not normal crying, in fact it was more than that. It was the type of cry that Brian produced two hours ago, of anguish, loneliness, despair, heartache and the impression that the entire universe is against you. It is the cry of death.

Sniffing the air around him in an attempt to locate the source, Brian followed his nose into the dark, landing upon a dying German Shepard bitch and her sole puppy. It was times like these that Brian wished he was sober, for maybe then he could be of better use, but alas this was not the case. Brian stumbled his way over and knelt beside the dying dog and looked into her eyes.

"Please" she begged, "Take care of him for me. He doesn't deserve this kind of life."

Brian shook his head in denial, resisting the urge to vomit as he struggled to pull himself together.

"I'm sorry" Brian answered, "But I can't do that. He wouldn't last long with me."

The mother smiled and gave a subtle laugh, "Please" she said as she started to slip away, "At least take him to a place where he can be loved. I can find peace in that."

Brian looked at the mother and then at the kid, part of him wanted to believe that he would be able to go through with the request, but even drunk he knew better.

"Pray for me" she continued, "I haven't….I haven't been good lately. I don't want to go out on a bad note. Please, pray for me."

Brian nodded and slowly picked up the small and whimpering puppy. He then knelt down and brought the pup closer to its mother, who gently began licking her face as if everything was going to be okay. He then did what any sensible person would do.

"Lord" Brian began, "We ask that you forgive this poor mother as she nears your doorstep. We ask that you welcome her into your arms when she passes and to watch over the son that she's leaving behind. May he find a good and loving home-"

The mother slowly returned her son's affections and died. Brian, who knew how prayers worked, silently let out an Amen before turning around, with full intention of leaving the now orphaned dog behind.

"Get used to losing people kid" Brian declared, "its goanna happen a lot, take it from someone who knows."

The orphan let out a soft and sad bark, a final goodbye to his mother before turning towards Brian, his head hung low, tail tucked in submissively. When he reached him, he only looked up, stood on his hind legs and licked Brian's hand.

"Don't even think about it" Brian continued, "I'm taking you to the shelter and that's it."

The dog began to whine, causing Brian to bark as loudly as he possibly could in order to shut him up. Almost immediately he regretted it, for then he remembered the mother. This was one of those moments when Brian seriously wished that he wasn't an alcoholic and that he wasn't drunk, for then he would be better equipped to handle the situation. Brian would be the first to tell you that he was an alcoholic and he would also be the first to tell you that he knew exactly what it did to him and the reasons why it was difficult for him to stop killing himself.

"It's nothing personal" Brian said apologetically, "But it's the truth. I can't care of you I mean look at me, I can barely take care of myself. It's a wonder that I get out of bed every morning. Hell, it's a wonder I even have a bed!"

Brian laughed at this, too drunk to realize that the orphan was crying again, begging for attention and pleading for Brian to listen and take care of him.

"I'm telling you I'm not worth it" Brian continued as he made his way down the street, the dog following him, "Its better if you just leave me alone."

Like all kids who don't understand situations, the dog continued to press Brian to the point of extreme annoyance. It was so stressful that Brian found himself vomiting in the nearest garbage can. He was three lights down from the animal shelter and almost five from home.

"_What have I gotten myself into?"_ Brian thought to himself, _"Deep shit that's what...I bet the mother was a whore. Most street dogs are."_

The effects of the alcohol were beginning to take their toll. In a few moments Brian knew that one of two things was going to happen, he was either going to pass out and fall asleep; or he was going to pass out, choke on his own vomit and die. Brian could hear the sound of a passing car, he held up a weak armed hitchhiker's thumb, hoping that the driver was generous enough to stop.

The car pulled to the side of the curb just as Brian collapsed to the ground. The driver, Quagmire, immediately ran over and knelt down beside him. As soon as the smell of alcohol crossed his nose Quagmire had full intentions of leaving him where he was. One whine from the German Shepard however, changed his opinion; it helped that the dog was currently tugging on Brian's left ear in an attempt to wake him up and that it had started to cry again at the prospect of being alone.

"So what's your deal?" Quagmire asked rhetorically, knowing full well that the dog couldn't answer him, "You lost or something?"

The German Shepard only barked in response, its tail wagging slowly as it sniffed Quagmire and easily finding a friend inside. Quagmire laughed, reminding himself the easy and naive acceptance of puppies who don't know any better and their lack of social skillsf. With this Quagmire picked up Brian, who was barely hanging on to consciousness at this point and mumbling to himself.

"Dylan" Brian said, slurring his words as he struggled through his fat tongue, resulting in drunk-speak. "Why…leave me alone! Why!"

Quagmire grunted as he opened the passenger side door and strapped Brian in. Turning around to get the other dog, Quagmire was surprised to find that it was already situated in Brian's lap, attempting to snuggle.

"Now that's something you don't see every day" Quagmire said to himself, "Who would've thought?"

Getting into the driver's seat Quagmire made his way towards Spooner Street. Brian periodically going in and out of various stages of sleep and coherent thinking.

"Quagmire" Brian exclaimed, "Don't…go home…Shelter."

Quagmire, who understood drunk-speak, slowly complied with Brian's request and having no idea as to why. He would later recall that he felt pity, not for Brian but for the puppy, and so acted accordingly.

"Is he yours?" Quagmire asked once Brian was awake enough to answer.

Brian shook his head and gave a subtle growl.

"Mom's dying wish" Brian replied, keeping his sentences simple as he entered the final stages of conscious.

"Funny" Quagmire said knowingly, "Never thought you had it in you."

Brian groaned annoyingly and once again wished that he wasn't drunk. Slowly he realized that the puppy had made himself comfortable on his stomach.

_"She wanted him to have a better life"_ Brian thought to himself, _"I told her no. Then she told me to pray for her...It took everything I had to not tell her that God doesn't exist. I prayed anyway, if nothing else to calm her down, to tell her that things were going to be okay. As for the kid, I don't know what to think. Maybe if I was smarter, if I had more self-control or was a better person in general I might take up her offer. But I'm not."_

Brian fell asleep just as Quagmire reached the shelter. Turning off the car and rolling down the windows, Quagmire opened the driver side door and walked in the building, surprised to find that it was still open. The first thing he saw was the front desk, behind it was Jasper, the clerk and caretaker of the shelter animals.

"How's it going Glenn?" Jasper asked welcomingly, "I'm afraid they're all asleep right now. You'll have to come back in the morning if you wish to look."

Quagmire raised his eyebrows curiously, failing to see the reason behind the shelter being open if no one was allowed past the front desk.

"I keep the lights on for the homeless that come in here sometimes" Jasper explained, "I keep some spare rooms to the side. They get shelter for the night and I get some company. It's a win-win."

Quagmire still maintained his face of confusion only now it was about what Jasper meant by "company". Jasper, seeing this, shook his head in disgust.

"Come on Glenn give me some credit" Jasper said, partially insulted, "Just because I'm gay doesn't mean that I don't have standards."

Quagmire nodded and uncomfortably looked back at the door, trying to figure out how best to bring up the subject, he decided with the small talk approach, luckily Jasper gave him an opening.

"So what brings you in?" Jasper continued, "You here to get away from someone or is this a social call?"

Quagmire laughed and gestured towards the door, "I got a delivery sitting in my car" he explained, "An orphan by the looks of things. Not even a year old."

Jasper reached down for box underneath his desk. The box was full of blankets, three colors- pink, blue and purple.

"What's the sex?" Jasper asked, getting straight to the formalities.

"Why does that matter?" Quagmire asked in turn.

Jasper laughed pitifully, as if the answer was not one he was necessarily happy to give.

"A lot of people base their choices on whether it's a male or female. It makes me sick honestly, to think that they're judged because of what they are instead of who they are."

Quagmire nodded in understanding, giving a small smile at the same time. Jasper's humanistic views on issues was one of the many reasons why Quagmire preferred him over Brian. He often thought about what it would be like with Jasper in his life, not in the physical or romantic sense but in the owner and dog sense.

"Then change" Quagmire replied, "This is your business, you do what you want. Who cares what they say?"

Jasper laughed as he selected a purple blanket, wasting no more time than necessary on the issue. As he walked around the desk heading towards the door, Jasper answered Quagmire's question.

"Because having a lifelong companion should mean something" Jasper answered, "Sure, it's maybe for a few years, it might even die before it's time. But everything, from the cradle to the coffin is important, it is meaningful to them. It's not about me and what I believe, it's about finding good homes for deserving animals and if that takes pink, blue and purple, that's what I'm going to do."

Upon reaching the car and seeing Brian in the passenger seat, the German Shepard sleeping on his lap, Jasper said absolutely nothing.

"That's him" Quagmire said, mostly for the sake of himself, "You goanna take him?"

Jasper stared at Quagmire, his eyes wet, it looked as if he were about to cry.

"You want me to take him?" Jasper said, repeating Quagmire's words for clarification, "Really?"

Quagmire rolled his eyes, he hoped that Jasper wouldn't make a big scene out of things, but it was already too late.

"Look at that!" Jasper continued, gesturing towards the passenger seat, "Tell me that isn't something! You look into my eyes and you tell me that isn't something special and I'll gladly take that away."

Quagmire said nothing, giving Jasper all the justification he needed. Quagmire however wasn't going to leave it there.

"Can you at least take them inside?" Quagmire pleaded, "I don't think home is the best place for them to go right now."

Jasper breathed in, calming himself down.

"Of course" he answered softly, "But I'm not separating them."

"Whatever" Quagmire replied as he undid Brian's seat belt, "You get the pup, I'll get the drunk."

Jasper silently growled at this, for he knew that Brian's alcoholism was more than just a social lubricant. It was a coping mechanism that began with a bad childhood, one that he was both fortunate and unfortunate enough to share in. Jasper was protective of his cousin for many reasons, his alcoholism being chief among them. He didn't blame him, he blamed the disease and what it did to people who felt as if they were out of options and out of time. As Jasper looked at Brian, slowly wrapping the puppy up at the same time, he was reminded of the promise that he made and what he was willing to do to see it done.

Looking down at the German Shepard in the blanket Jasper could see hints of bruises and various signs of physical abuse. Wherever he came from obviously wasn't good. Jasper gave a customary sniff and sighed as he made his way towards the shelter door, the Shepard's scent was all too familiar, it was same scent that Brian had every single day. Quagmire followed close behind, he was struggling a bit, for Brian was heavier than usual, having put a little weight. Medically speaking, Brian was perfectly fine in terms of weight, despite this he was easily the fattest dog Quagmire had ever seen.

Five minutes later Brian and the orphan were sleeping comfortably in one of the open units. Quagmire had gone home almost immediately after, wanting nothing more than to get some sleep, leaving Jasper to himself, relatively alone.

Sitting once again at his desk, Jasper picked up the phone and called the Griffin house, for the last thing that he wanted was for the family to worry. It picked on the fourth ring, Lois answering the phone.

"Hello who is this?" Lois began, "Don't you know that it's late?"

Jasper laughed, "It's me Lois" he answered, "Listen I've got Brian down here at the shelter. He's not doing so good, really hammered by the look and smell of things."

Lois immediately began reaching for her keys, Jasper stopped her as quickly as he could.

"Don't worry about it Lois" he continued, "I got him comfortable inside one of the big units. He's fine. Come by tomorrow and pick him up. Besides he's had a rough day today."

Lois raised her eyebrows curiously, having no knowledge of Dylan or what had happened. Jasper explained without interruption.

"Dylan's dead. Two car collision, drunk driving accident. The driver managed to walk away from it. Dylan's car was smashed to bits…He was going to a volunteer at one of the parks in the ghetto district. Make it look nice, clean up garbage that kind of thing."

Jasper had to stop himself, for he was beginning to choke up.

"He was such a good kid" Jasper continued, "Never hurt anybody. Always wanting to help people. It's a real shame Lois, real shame. I can't even imagine what Brian's going through right now. Losing someone, someone that you wanted to know, with all your heart, in the worst way possible."

Lois hung up the phone, Lois being one of those people who internalized others' pain as way of processing it and making herself understand the situation. Jasper, who was the exact opposite, distancing himself from the situation, could only feel sadness and regret at not knowing Dylan other than from the stories that Brian told him.

Pulling up a chair in front of the unit, Jasper looked in, hoping to find hope and perhaps meaning, inside of it. Jasper's emotions meanwhile, continued to be played with, as happiness entered the mix. It had come to a point where Jasper could do nothing but cry and simply watch as Brian curled himself up in a ball unintentionally around the sleeping orphan.

"Lord" Jasper began to himself, "I know that he's not the best choice. But please, if nothing else, give him this. Let him have this one good thing and I'll consider it a personal favor."

Within the hour Jasper was asleep, keeping silent vigil on the units he was in charge of. The electric bill that would come the following morning would be higher than usual, for the light remained on all throughout the night, staying true to the promise that it and Jasper had made long ago.


End file.
